This course focuses on the strategy making process. Strategic leaders must consider multiple aspects when developing a strategic approach. Strategic leaders must evaluate the external and internal environment to determine the right course of action. Students investigate core concepts of strategy-making to aid in their development of a strategic mindset.

Students will be introduced to different perspectives on conflict management and negotiation. Conflict will be explored in different contexts, including but not limited to intergroup conflict, cross-cultural conflict, and interpersonal conflict. An emphasis will be placed on interpersonal conflict. The course will utilize an applied approach by identifying effective strategies to manage conflict and negotiation, and provide appropriate methodologies for implementation.

This integrative course is the final course in the Master of Science in Leadership. All other required coursework must have been completed prior to receiving approval to register for this course. The focus of the course is on defining and researching a leadership issue or problem. The applied research provides the opportunity to utilize strategy, research skills, analytical tools and models, as well as decision sciences with a culminating research project that can be of strategic benefit to the student and/or a current organization. After documenting the above, students will discuss and defend their project orally.

Pretrial Advocacy is a 2-L simulation course. Each of the two sections is a law firm. Each firm has an experienced litigator/professor in the role of "senior partner," and the 2L scholars are "junior associates." There are also two 3L scholars in each firm who serve as "senior associates". Actors play the roles of the parties and various witnesses. Working both in small groups and alone, the junior associates: interview clients and witnesses; prepare or answer a complaint; prepare and answer interrogatories; take and defend a deposition with an actual court reporter who takes it in "real time" and provides a transcript; prepare a motion or an objection to a motion for summary judgment which is then argued before a real judge in the judge's courtroom; and prepare a final pretrial statement for submission to the court. Throughout the semester, the "junior associates" also submit time sheets to their "senior partners." "Junior associates" receive constructive feedback from their "senior partners," "senior associates," and each other, as well as from court reporters, judges, attorneys, standardized clients and witnesses. They also observe and critique their taped deposition and oral argument performances. At the end of the course, each scholar prepares a reflective paper in which, using the MacCrate skills and values as a guide, the student identifies those skills and values that were addressed in the course, reflects upon the student's own perceived strengths and weaknesses, and discusses how the student plans to cultivate strengths and improve weaknesses. This course cannot be taken for an S/U grade.